BBC Axes ‘The Hour’

The Hour won’t be back for a third season after all. The BBC today pulled the plug on the one-hour drama about a 1950s BBC newsmagazine show. “We loved the show but have to make hard choices to bring new shows through,” the BBC said. Staring Skyfall’s Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai and The Wire’s Dominic West, the six-episode drama debuted in 2011 on BBC Two in the UK and was seen on this side of the pond on BBC America. While The Hour started off with strong viewership in the UK, its audience had fallen by almost half by the second season. The show was nominated for an Emmy and three Golden Globes last year, including Best Miniseries or Made For TV Movie.